Byte Into IT - 27 November 2013

On this week's Byte: News Yahoo's CIO has sent an internal memo to staff, entitled "Windows 95 Called and they Want Their Mail App Back" - they're dumbfounded that staff are continuing to use the Outlook email client as opposed to the new Yahoo Mail interface - only 25% do, apparently. BlackBerry have shown most of their senior executives the door, following on from firing CEO Thorsten Heins. YouTube has conceded that its new comment system (which requires you to log in using a Google Plus), is opening comments up to spam, and activating G+ for users whether they want it or not. Are we in the midst of a new tech bubble? Snapchat has gone from being worth $70 million to $4 billion in 7 months, and Dropbox from $4 billion to $8 billion in a year. Really?Really? Guest: Hacker and security expert Peter Filimore joins the team to tell how he topped the online streaming charts with one of the worst tracks we've ever heard. Warren and Lachlan discuss the Internet of Things, and how things are increasingly connected in the home. Will we start installing RFIDs into our bodies? Or is it not necesary now that we have smartphones? From programmable Christmas lights, to thermostats that know when you're home, to doors you can unlock remotely to let deliveries in and lights that turn off when the garage closes, the home is getting more automated by the day. And after the lacklustre perofrmance of the Internet Fridge, are connected kitchens finally getting traction? Would you be comfortable with an app that monitors your baby's crying? It activates audio to calm the baby (a song, or a recording of your voice) and sends a text if the baby doesn't calm down... And then, of course, there are the multitude of options for those of us who want to get fit... Light News: There has been a development in dog-activated appliances - for guide dogs (before you get excited and put Rover to work in the laundry...) Fujitsu and the Japanese National Institute for Informatics are developing an AI unit that can get into University - now that's Artificial Intelligence (sorry, had to be done). Events and Opportunities TedX Melbourne - "Unseen is not Necessarily Unknown" - December 3, Melbourne Recital Centre. PauseFest 2014 - exploring digital culture - February 13-16, 2014, Federation Square (Early bird tickets available until December 6!). 3D Printing Workshop - December 3 - Testing Grounds Presented by Warren Davies and Lachlan Simpson. http://profiles.google.com/byteintoit http://twitter.com/byteintoit http://friendfeed.com/byteintoit

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